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Tai Kaliso
Tai Kaliso hails from Irohma Island. A boulder of a man, his muscular appearance stands in contrast to his quiet, meditative personality. Tai descends from a long line of men who viewed themselves not just as fighters but as warriors. This lineage molded Tai into a warrior-philosopher with a spiritual view of war that often causes odd glances from his squadmates. However, they like and respect him, even if they don't always understand him. Tai and Marcus have a long history of saving each other's lives during the Pendulum Wars. Biography ]] Early Life Tai was a Gear who was from the South Islands. Born in the Island of Irohma, he was like all South Islanders raised in their tribal traditions. Pendulum Wars Around four years before Emergence Day, Tai's home island was attacked by Union of Independent Republics . While the main tribal forces defended the village, Tai began stalking UIR squads and taking them out one by one. He later discovered that his village was destroyed by the UIR, and by fate he ran into a young Fenix who told him that the COG were going to win the war and they would rather have him on the winning side.Gears of War: The Quickening One year later, Tai was a member of the 26th Royal Tyran infantry, and took part in Operation Leveler. He'd fought in more urban areas of the battle and fought off four Indies and gave comfort to a dying Indie until his soul passed but used his body as a Meat Shield.He was one of the few survivors from Aspho Fields. One Year after Emergence Day Battle of Jannermont Only a few weeks after the end of the Pendulum Wars, the Locust emerged. One year later, during the retreat back over Tyra River, Tai served in a squad with Sgt.Marcus Fenix, Pvt.Dominic Santiago, and Pvt.Padrick Salton. While on route back to Ephyra, they heard that Jannermont was under attack, and headed to help. They found Locust killing civilians in a general store, and rushed to help. During the battle, Marcus was wrestling with a Drone and was unable to reach any of his weapons. Tai came from behind with a power saw and sliced the Drone in half. This lead to the creation of the Chainsaw Bayonet.http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/05/24/the-gear-of-gears.aspx They then loaded the wounded civilans into their APC, and took them to a first aide station. As they began to head back to Ephyra, thier APC broke down and was unable to be fixed. They stripped it of all useful parts, but Tai had them leave the broken engine, in order to teach the Locust "value of strength from adversity". They then began walking to the nearest convoy point.Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant pg 130-142 Rushing back to Ephyra They reached a vehicle checkpoint along the Ephyra-Kinnerlake highway, where they overheard Chairman Richard Prescotts announcment of the Hammer of Dawn counterattack.Marcus was held at the checkpoint because his father had requested he be evacuated, but Marcus refused to leave the squad, and instead put a civilian and his baby on board the Raven that had come to pick him up. Tai and the rest of the squad then began to move abandoned cars out of the way, in order to allow military and civilian traffic to flow again. After they finished, they boarded a convoy heading back to Ephra.Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant pg 180-187 Clearing the Voslov Bridge After making it back to Ephyra, Tai and the rest of the squad were deployed to reopen the Voslov Bridge a mere seven hours before the Hammer strike. They arrived to find fifty Locust had destroyed a convoy crossing the bridge, and were looting the remains. They headed to the bridge control booth, where Marcus lifted up the bridge, killing all the Locust on the it as they were crushed by vehicles, while Tai fired a Longspear into a fuel truck, killing most of the other Drones. The four of them then mopped up what was left of the Locust. Tai then watched with Marcus and Dom as Pad cleared a path for the convoy with a bulldozer. They got back into their APC, and Pad drove it to the rear of the last convoy to make it safely to Ephyra. As they drove, Dom asked Tai if he had any family still on the Islands. Tai told him that he hoped that the Hammer of Dawn would not waste it's time targeting most of the Islands.Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant pg 276-284 Scouting a Wasteland Five days after the Hammer of Dawn strike, Tai and the squad was deployed in PA-Five-One to scout the areas near Ephyra hit by the attack. After driving for several hours, they stopped one kilometer outside the city of Gerrenhalt because the terrian was too tough for the APC. As Pad took a break to relieve himself, Dom and Marcus talked with Tai, and Marcus told him that few of the Island were targeted. They were interupted when Pad returned, shaken up because he had discovered he had been standing on dead bodies. They drove back to base, where Pad sat down in front of the APC and began talking about death in wistful tones. After he left the hanger, Marcus asked Tai to take a shift with Pad to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Tai replied that it was not their decision on whether or not Pad wanted to live with the things he had seen, but followed him anyway.Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant pg 313-323 Evacuation of North Gate Preparing for the Evacuation Thirteen years later, the war with the Locust continued to rage. Tai took part in the Evacuation of North Gate, where he was Colonel Hoffman's personal APC driver. He and Hoffman were in APC-One, in the middle of the convoy. As they drove, Hoffman had Tai stop so he could speak to a couple of Stranded women. After they began driving again, Tai and Hoffman discussed if the Locust were close to defeat.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 68-73 Shortly after they arrived at the North Gate Agricultural Depot, Lt.Anya Stroud informed them that a group of Locust had been spotted moving on the ground. KR A-108 transported Tai and the other Gears to intercept them, and they got into to cover to ambush them. During the battle, Tai charged into the Locust, screaming as he cut into one with his chainsaw. After the last of the Drones were killed, the Raven returned them to the convoy point.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 134-146 Ambushes Tai once again drove Hoffman in APC-One in the middle of the convoy. As they drove, both sensed that something was wrong, when suddenly the Locust ambushed part of the convoy. Trucks Two-twenty-five and Two-twenty-six were taken out, and all personal aboard both were killed. As Tai drove APC-One to take over at the head of the convoy, they passed the two trucks and discovered Stranded swarming over them. Tai and Hoffman stopped and exited the truck, with Tai mad that they were crawling over the bodies of his comrades. He fired his granade launcher into the trucks as the Stranded ran away, blowing it up. He called out to the Stranded that he would return for the remains later, determined to not leave anyone behind, alive or dead.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 197-205 After Two-forty-five and APC-Three were hit, Tai and Hoffman took up positions in the Theater of the Muses to investigate a Locust ambush. However, their APC was booby trapped while they were away from it. When they returned to it and discovered the trap, Hoffman and Tai disconected their comms, not wanting to draw any other Gears into the ambush. They decided to attempt to make their own way back, or take as many Locust down with them as they could.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 253-258 They became pinned down as Locust emerged from a basement, but Tai was able to plug it up with a granade. Several Locust were still able to come out of it, and continued to close in on the two of them. Tai chainsawed several, but they were still in danger of being overun until Marcus and Dom arrived to save them. Jack arrived and disarmed the bomb on the APC, and Tai drove them back to the Jacinto safe zone.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 325-331 Recovering the Fallen The next day, Tai led a recovery team to recover the remains of the dead drivers and guards from the destroyed vehicles that had been left behind.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 364-365 Battle outside of Jacinto Three weeks later, Tai fights in a battle outside of Jacinto alongside Marcus, Pvt.Jace Stratton, and Pvt.Dizzy Wallin. After the battle, he tells Jace that all life is sacred, and burns the corpses of the Locust with a flamethrower. Raid on Jacinto Med Five months later, Tai battled alongside Marcus and Dominic Santiago during the raid on Jacinto Med. He led them upstairs, where he showed them an ambush that had been set up to take out the Locust. He also warned them to stay away rustlung patients, and explained to them what it was. After they wiped out the first group of Drones, they proceeded to clear the hospital of all the attacking Locust. When they reached the exit, they discovered Pvt.Benjamin Carmine, Delta's newest member. The four of them headed outside, and repelled the Locust incursion along with several other Gears. After the battle, Carmine attempted to get a high five from Tai, but failed.Gears of War 2: Act 1: Tip of the Spear: Desperation Operation: Hollow Storm Five months later, Tai battled alongside Marcus, Dominic Santiago, and Benjamin Carmine during the raid on Jacinto Med, as well as during the Assault on Landown. Tai rode on Rig D14 during the battle for Landown, until his rig was destroyed by Tickers, killing his whole squad. Tai then joined up with Delta-One and fought beside them. However before he and Ben Carmine could tunnel into the Hollow, Tai left his Grindlift to assist Dizzy Wallin in the fight against Skorge, realizing that he is no match for him. Tai ordered Dizzy to leave and took on the Kantus himself, but lost the fight. Tai and many other gears were captured. Tai is then "processed" (being hung on hooks and whipped with a metal whip). Tai is later found imprisoned upon a Beast Barge, heavily scarred and brutally tortured, with bleeding gouges and deep slashes all over his body and back. Marcus, unaware of the mental toll the torture has taken on him, arms Tai with a Gnasher Shotgun and tells him to join the team. Tai hesitates (realizing his soul left his body) for only a moment before he aims the shotgun at his own head. Marcus hears Tai cock the shotgun, and tries to stop him before he pulls the trigger, but is too late and Tai commits suicide. Marcus is horrified at the turn of events and Ben Carmine, who truly believes that Tai can survive everything, is shocked. His COG Tags are then collected by Marcus, and his body is left on the barge. Personality and Traits Tai, along with his attitude, is calm and almost philosophical at moments. During battle he can reflect this calm and yet violent personality, as he says "I like the glow of Locust blood in this light". He is willing, able, strong, brave, ready to lead, and ready to fight, just like any COG soldier should be. After being captured and tortured, it lead him to suicide but it was not of own personal dissatisfaction with life, but rather because he was left a broken and hollow man according to his religion. His soul had left his body long before his torture by his Locust captors, his body was merely following when it got the opportunity. Notable Quotes Behind the Scenes Tai Kaliso is based off the New Zealand Maori. He is the first Gears of War character created with the intention of showing religion in the series. Multiplayer Tai Kaliso will be a playable character along with Dizzy Wallin in the multiplayer modes of Gears of War 3. References Category:Characters Category:Gear Soldier Category:Pendulum Wars veterans Category:South Islanders Category:Males